Clothesline



Oct. 18, 1949. R JR 2,484,941

CLOTHESLINE Filed Novv 20, 1947 A TTOPNE Y Patented Oct. 18,- 1949 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE CLOTHESLINE Frank L. Grant, J r., Terrace Park, Ohio Application November 20, 1947, Serial No. 787,138

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to means and agencies selectively engageable with and for the supported suspension of fabric material units, such as clothes, during drying or airing of such units, and has as an object to provide an improved construction and arrangement of elements constituting a clothes line.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clothes line adapted for mounting in bridging relation between spaced end supports with a minimum of sag.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clothes line capable of supporting imposed load with minimized deflection.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clothes line engageable directly with and for the secure support of fabric units in a manner to dispense with separate pins, clips, and the like, heretofore commonly employed.

A further object of the invention is to provide 1 an improved clothes line whereto attachment of fabric units may be made at any desired point in the line length.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clothes line conveniently mountable in position for practical use either in supported relation on and with conventional such lines or independently of the latter.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clothes line adapted for association with sound-reproducing means in a novel manner pertinent to advertising and analogous uses.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clothes line susceptible of economical production from known and available materials free from tendency to rust and corrode, convenient of installation and use, efiicient to attainment of the ends for which designed, and durable throughout a long life of practical utility.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawing which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a typical installation of the improvement, ready for practical use. Figure 2 is a fragmentary, detail, bottom plan view, on an enlarged scale, of a section of the improvement as manipulated for engagement with a fabric unit to be suspended therefrom. Figure 3 is a fragmentary, detail elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a section of the improvement and the actuating slide member associated therebetween the edge margins with. Figure 4 is a cross section taken substantially on the indicated line 4-4 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross section taken substantially on the indicated line 5-5 of Figure 2. Figure 6 is a fragmentary, detail cross section, on a further enlarged scale, taken substantially on the indicated line 6-8 of Figure 3.

In the construction of the improvement as shown, an elongate channel member ll], of modified U-shape in cross section, is formed from weather-resistant, resiliently-yieldable material in a length, or lengths, approximating the desired span of the mounted line. The member ID is an integral, continuous unit of uniform conformation throughout its length and may be formed in any desired manner, as by rolling, extrusion, molding, or the like, to any preferred dimensions or proportions from any of several particular materials having the properties requisite to its load-supporting function, its transverse resilient yieldability, its permanence in use, and its resistance to corrosive influences; certain of the moldable synthetic resins, or plastics, being particularly well adapted to use in the production of said member.

While the cross-sectional form of the member l0 may be varied considerably without departing from the concept and operative principle of the invention, it is deemed advantageous that the member should be shaped to present a transversely and exteriorly arcuate, relatively thick base I l constituting the upper stretch of the member in use, relatively thinner side walls l2 springing in outwardly-bowed, complementary relation from the opposite long margins of said base II, and free edge margins l3 recurved relative to their respective walls 12 into spaced parallelism definitive of a throat opening extending the length of the member in opposition to the base II and hence disposable to open downwardly when the member is mounted with its said base uppermost. With due regard to the properties of the material employed, the thickness of the walls I2 is proportioned to develop therein a degree of resilient yieldability permissive of manual separation of the edge margins l3 at any point of the member If! length for consequent material widening of the throat opening between said margins at such point of their separation; the properties of the material employed and the general tubular form of the member functioning to return the edge margins l3 to their original spaced relation when the pressures effecting their greater separation have been released. Normally closing the throat I3, complementary ribs I4 extend longitudinally of the member I just inwardly from said edge margins, each of said ribs being an integral, inward extension from one of the member side walls I2 and diminishing in thickness from its side wall attachment to a thin, free edge normally paralleling and adjacent the opposite side wall; the projection of said ribs I4 from their respectively associated side walls being such as to dispose the ribs in, slidably overlapped relation of adjacent longitudinal surfaces and in consequent closing relation with the member I0 throat when the edge margins I3 are in normal condition of spaced parallelism, as shown in Figure 4, and to effect opening of said throat for a limited longitudinal distance-through. sepa-* ration of the rib M free edges at the zone and as a consequence of edge -margin l3 separation, as shown in Figures 2 and 5.

For the application of separatory pressures to the edge margins I3 at any selected point in the I and equipped with" cooperating hinge elements interengageable to establish an axis of plate I5 articulation paralleling and exteriorly closely adjacent the longitudinal median line of the member base I I, the otherwise free ends of said plates I5 remote from theirh-inge axis" being inturned as hooks I6 in slidable engagement over the edge margins I3'of the member side walls wherewith saidplates respectively'coact. Beyond their-hinge axis and away from the member I 9, the plates I5 are extended to form actuating webs orfingers I l in fixed relation with their respective plates such as serves to dispose the said webs I? in divergence away from the hinge-axis when the plate hooks I5 engage the member-edgemargins I 3 m throatclosing relation of the latter and to approach said webs'into substantialparallelism when the said hooks It and edge-margins therebyengaged are separated 'into throat-opening relation. The webs or fingers Ill constitute convenient means for the operative manipulation of the clip assembly-and are available for manual engagement-in a manner effective to slide the clip assembly longitudinally of and from point to point-along the member ll! when the latter is in normal, throat-closed condition, and to reactto manual pressures tending to close them together'in a manner efiective to separate the plates I5-and consequently open the member throat between the hooks I6 of the slide assembly; the tension inherent in the memher I!) acting to return the latter to closed-throat condition and the webs IT to normal divergence when the squeezing pressures on the latt'erare released.

' The slidable mounting of the clip assembly on the member Ill afiords convenient opportunity for associationg advertising and entertainment means therewithin a novel and ingenious manner. Since a given point on either of the plates I5 traverses an invariable path longitudinally of the member 58 exterior surface as the clip assembly is shifted along said member, a straight sound record track E8, of thetype commonly employed in phonographic sound reproduction, having the desired sound output characteristics, may be Worked on or in a side wall lzexterior surface for I 4 w) coaction with a stylus I9 operatively associated with and projecting inwardly from a diaphragm carried by and for operation in a usual manner within a boss or sound-box 2I formed on one of the plates I5. Thus, shifting of the clip assembly longitudinally along the member Ill results in a tracing of the track I8 by the stylus I9 and consequent vibration of the diaphragm 20 for audible output of the message. ortheme imprinted in the sound record-track...

The member In, constructed, furnished, and equipped as shown and described in any desired unit length, is mounted for practical use in substantially horizontal, bridging relation between spaced,verticalsupports with the member base II uppermost and the side wall edge margins I3 depending in a downward direction. For mounting purposes, ends of the member Ifl unit may be equipped with ties, eyes, clips, hooks, clamps and the like, as may be deemed expedient, a flexible line 22 of any suitable-material maybe. embedded within the crown thickness of theJ-memberbase H at the time of unit manufacture in a. length exceedingzth-at of. the unit forconsequent extension as flexible tie fastenings beyondithe unitends; or the unitimay simply be engaged with, over; and for support by any suitable .line, winger-equivalent agency stretched inthe desired .locationbetween fixedsupports, the inner-surfaceof the .member base II engaging: with andiresting upon member, edge margins. I 3 and ribs I4: at such point,- a-ndacorner or edge of thefabric unit inserted through the resulting member throat opening and into the member interior, whereafter release of pressure acting on the webs- I! results in rapproachment. of the edge margins and ribs to throat-closing interrelation and positive. nondamaging. grip againstthe inserted fabric, thereby locking the latter to the member-in av manner inhibitive of. accidental release. Separation of the attached fabric from i the member. is accomplished through throateopening reactuation: of the? clip assembly at the point. of attachment, in precisely the manner above. set forth.

It is to be notedflthat thev entire length of a fabric unit edge or margin may be engagedwith the member and gripped between the ribs I4 thereof, it being. obviouslyfeasible to shift the clip assemblystep-by-step for the progressive development. of a throat. opening through which successive portions of the fabric unit edge or margin may be entered; and it is further worthy of note. that thesuspension of units from the member in noway interferes Withthe shiftability of the clip assembly to,.any. selected point of the member length, since, thefabric. unit attachment to the member occurs between and in non-obrangement of theelements. shown and. described may behad Without departingjromthe spirit of my invention, 1 wish, to. be .understoo1dj as .being limitedv solely by the scopeof. the appended claims, rather than by anydetail's of theillustrative showing and'foregoing description.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clothes line of the character described comprising an elongate, channel-like member formed with resiliently-separable, parallel, free edge margins defining a variable-width throat longitudinally of said member, complementary ribs integrally extending ODDOSitely and inwardly adjacent the member free edge margins in slidably overlapped, closing relation with said throat in minimum width condition of the latter, and means slidably carried by said member manually actuatable to separate the member free edge margins for throat-opening spacing of the associated rib edges at any selected point of the member length.

2. A clothes line of the character described comprising an elongate, channel-like member having spacedlympposed, resiliently-separable side walls, parallel, free edge margins on said walls defining a variable-width throat longitudinally of said member, complementary ribs integral with said side walls adjacent the free edge margins thereof extending oppositely and inwardly therefrom in slidably overlapped, closing relation with said throat in minimum width condition of the latter, and means slidably carried by said member manually actuatable to separate the member free edge margins for throatopening spacing of the associated rib edges at any selected point of the member length.

3. A clothes line of the character described comprising an elongate, channel-like member formed with spacedly-opposed, resiliently-separable side walls, parallel, free edge margins on said side walls defining a variable-width throat longitudinally of said member, complementary ribs integral with said side walls adjacent the free edge margins thereof extending oppositely and inwardly therefrom in slidably overlapped, closing relation with said throat in minimum width condition of the latter, a hinged cli slidably embracing said member in hooked engagement over said free edge margins, and diverging extensions of said clip elements beyond their hinge axis manually actuatable to increase the clip element hinged divergence and consequently effect throat-opening separation of the member free edge margins and associated ribs at the member zone embraced by said clip.

4. The organization as set forth in claim 3, wherein said clip consists of complementary plate elements conformed to overlie opposite halves of the member, a hinge axle interconnecting coacting adjacent ends of said elements in outlying spaced parallelism with the member longitudinal median line, and inturned hooks on the element free ends engageable over the member free edge margins, and the manually actuatable extensions of said clip elements are webs respectively integral with the plate elements on the opposite side of the hinge axle and radially of the latter in a divergence effective to increase the angular separation of the plate elements when the webs are pressed together.

5. In a clothes line, an elongate, channel-like member supportable in bridging relation between spaced uprights, spacedly-opposed, resilientlyseparably, depending side walls on said member defining a downwardly-opening, Variable-width throat longitudinally thereof, oppositely-directed ribs projecting inwardly from and adjacent the free edge margins of said side walls longitudinally of said member in slidably-coacting, throat-closing relation when said side walls are in normally-spaced condition, and means slidably carried by said member manually actuatable to separate the member free edge margins for throat opening spacing of the associated rib edges at any selected point of the member length.

6. In a clothes line having an elongate, channel-like member supportable in bridging relation between spaced uprights and spacedly-opposed, resiliently-separable, depending side walls on said member defining a downwardly opening, variable-width throat longitudinally thereof, means for engaging fabric units in suspended relation with said member, said means comprising oppositely-directed ribs projecting inwardly from and adjacent the free edge margins of said side walls longitudinally of said member in slidably-coacting, throat-closing relation when said side walls are in normally-spaced condition, a hinged clip slidably embracing said member in hooked engagement over the side wall free edge margins, and diverging extensions of the clip elements beyond their hinge axle manually actuatable to increase the clip element hinged divergence and consequently effect throat-opening separation of the free edge margins and associated ribs at the member zone embraced by said clip.

7. In a clothes line having an elongate, channel-like member supportable in bridging relation between spaced uprights, spacedly-opposed, resiliently-separable, depending side walls on said member defining a downwardly-opening, variable-width throat longitudinally thereof, and oppositely-directed ribs projecting inwardly from and adjacent the free edge margins of said side walls longitudinally of said member in slidablycoacting, throat-closing relation when said side walls are in normally-spaced condition, means manually actuatable to effect throat-opening separation of the side wall edge margins and associated ribs at any selected point of the member length, said means comprising complementary plate elements conformed to slidably overlie opposite halves of said member, a hinge axle interconnecting coacting adjacent ends of said elements in outlying spaced parallelism with the member longitudinal median line, inturned hooks on the element free ends slidably engaged over the member side wall free edge margins, and web extensions respectively integral with the plate elements on the opposite side of the hinge axle in such radial divergence therefrom as serves to increase the angular separation of the plate elements when said webs are pressed together.

FRANK L. GRANT, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,435,887 Anderson Nov. 14, 1922 1,893,508 Rosenberg Jan. 10, 1933 2,245,729 Snyder June 1'7, 1941 2,248,818 Eifert July 8, 1941 2,407,387 Seymour Sept. 10, 1946 

